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During the first half of 2016 we have witnessed many notable changes from the UAE’s Ministry of Labour and Immigration Department. New rules have been implemented to help companies forge a stronger relationship between employers and workers, enhance the labour market across the country by ensuring transparency and to encourage more flexible labour mobility for workers.
Please see below for a list of key rules and regulations that have been implemented:

Changes within the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation

The Ministry of Labour is now formally known as the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) – the UAE’s Human Resources Authority Tanmia has also joined this department

The standard job offer must be available in eleven languages and signed in the employee’s country of origin before his or her work permit can be processed

The six month labour ban period will be waived for employees if the work permit and employment are terminated in mutual agreement

Changes within the Department of Naturalization and Residency

For individuals that have a family under their sponsorship, it is no longer possible to submit a holding deposit to avoid the visas from getting cancelled. This means that if an individual is changing jobs, the family visas will have to be cancelled prior to their visa being cancelled

Holders of a European passport residing in the Schengen countries will now receive a 90 day single entry visa on arrival into the UAE

Passport holders from Non-Shengen European countries will no longer receive the 30 day visa on arrival. Instead they will now be granted a 40 day multiple entry visa on arrival

All companies should ensure that they have received their online immigration user name and password and e-token to enable smooth processing of any employment visas

We have a dedicated team of professionals on hand to assist with all labour and immigration processes.